Snuffer structure for cigarette lighters



March 20, 1951 R. D. LLOYD 2,546,128

SNUFFER STRUCTURE FOR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS Filed Jan. 7, 1948 I N VEN TOR.

Z7 LX9 M ATTD RN EYE Patented Mar. 20, 1951 SNUFFER STRUCTURE FORCIGARETTE LIGHTERS Roy D. Lloyd, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor of onehalf toRobert L. Gardner, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application January 7, 1948, Serial No. 968

1 Claim.

This invention relates to lighters for cigarettes, cigars, and the likeof the type having a fuel tank with a wick, flint, and an abradingelement, and in particular an improved type of snuffer whereby the wickis snuffed out and the snuffing element seals the area around the wickto preventleakage of fumes and any possibility of fire.

' The purpose of this invention is to improve the construction oflighters for cigarettes and the like by providing a cup-shaped snuffingelement with sealing means so that the fumes will be confined to thesnuffing element and will not escape to contaminate cigarettes and thelike in the lighter.

The usual type of lighter for cigarettes and the like is provided with asnuifer; that extinguishes the light thereof but the snuffer is notcompletely sealed and fumes thereof escape to the interior of thelighter case and when cigarettes and the like are stored therein theyhave a foreign taste resulting from the fumes of the lighter. With thisthought in mind this invention contemplates a lighter having a cu orbellshaped snuffer and a conical-shaped washer of rubber or the likearound the wick which coacts with the rim of the snuffer to completelyseal the immediate area around the wick as the light thereof isextinguished.

The object of this invention is to provide sealing means for a snufferof lighters for cigarettes and the like that may be used with lightersof different designs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a snufier for lighters forcigarettes and the like which is incorporated around the end of the wickextending through the wall of the fuel tank which prevents leakage offuel and also seals the area around the end of the wick.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination snufierand seal for wicks of lighters for cigarettes and the like which is of asimple 1 and economical construction.

With" these and other objects and advantages in view the inventionconsists of the new and novel combination, construction, and arrangementof parts as hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the claimappended. hereto, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings formingparthereof, wherein: t

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the lighter showing therelative positions of the parts.

Figure 2 is a detail showing an end view of the lighter case with partsbroken away and part in section illustrating the snuffer and sealingwasher around the wick.

Figure 3 is a detail showing a section through the snufier cup andsealingwasher with parts broken away.

Figure 4 is a detail showing the snufier cup actuator with the cupmounted thereon and with other parts omitted.

Figure 5 is a section showing a sealing washer of an alternate design.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponing parts the sealing snufier of this invention includes alighter case in having a hinged cover ll, an abrading wheel 2, a flintl3, and a wick M.

The case it is provided-with a fuel tank 15 and the flint I3 is held ina tube l6 so that it engages the surface of the abrading wheel 12. Theabrading Wheel is mounted on a shaft H and an actuator I8 with pawls l9and 20 in the sides thereof is pivotally mounted on the shaft andpositioned with the pawls adapted to engage ratchet teeth 2| in the endsof the abrading Wheel. The actuator is provided with a bar 22 that isheld in the closed position, as shown in Figure 1, by a flange 23 on anoperating lever 24, and the lever is pivotally mounted on a pin 25. Thelever is provided with an end 26 which is positioned to be engaged by aprojection 21 on the cover H, and as the cover is opened, the projectionoperates the lever 24 which releases the bar 22 of the actuator l8, anda spring 28 moves the actuator to the position shown in Figure 2. As theactuator moves from the position shown in Figure l to that shown inFigure 2 the pawls turn the abrading wheel in a counter-clockwisedirection and this produces a spark which ignites the Wick.

The actuator I8 is also provided with a U-shaped spring 29 that carriesa cup or bellshaped snuffer 30 that is positioned to cover the end ofthe wick and the wick is mounted in a ferrule 3| in a conical-shapedwasher 32 of rubber or the like, as shown in Figure 3. When the cover II is closed it engages the bar 22 and forces the actuator and snufferdownward over the end of the wick and as it arrives at the closedposition the rim of the snuffer presses into the washer 32 therebyproviding a seal so that, the fumes resulting from snufiing out the wickwill be confined in the snuifer or cup. The washer around the wick maybe of any suitable shape or design and may be mounted on the fuel tankor any part of the lighter desired, and the snufier may also be of anysuitable shape or design to correspond with the washer.

In the design shown in Figure 5 the wick I4 is positioned in a socket 33that is secured in the upper surface 34 of the tank and the upper end ofthe socket is provided with an annular recess 35 in which a ring 36, ofrubber or the like is positioned and as the case is closed the snufiercup 31 engages the ring to form a seal, as shown.

With the parts arranged in this manner the actuator will operate theabrading wheel to light the wick as the cover is opened, and as thecover is closed the snufler cup will be pressed downward over the rubberring or washer to form a seal which prevents the fumes passing into theadjoining parts of the casing.

It will be understood that other modifications may be made in the designor arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

In a cigarette lighter, the combination which comprises a lighter casesubstantially rectangular shaped in section and having an arcuate sidewith extended edges at the opposite side, said case representing a book,means hinging one of the sides of the case to the case at a spaced pointspaced from the arcuate edge, a substantially flat fuel tank in the casewith an upwardly extended section along the side of the case havingextended edges whereby cavity is provided from the said extended sectionfrom the tank to the arcuate side of the case, a ferrule having flangedendspositioned in the upper surface of the tank and located in thecavity, a conical shaped resilient washer positioned around the ferruleand secured in position by a flange at the upper end of the ferrule, asnufier cap carried by a U-shaped spring on a plate positioned below thecover of the case and pivotally mounted in the cavity thereof, andpositioned to register with the wick with lower outwardly flared edgesof the snufier cap engaging the conical shaped surfaces of the resilientwasher, an arcuate flint tube extending from the upper surface of theextended section of the tank around the wick and opening into the cavityin the case at a point spaced from the wick, an abrading wheel rotatablymounted in the cavity of the case and positioned to engage a flintextended from the said flint tube, and means actuating said abradingwheel as the cover is opened.

ROY D. LLOYD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,026,571 Dubinski May 14, 19121,028,462 Heyman June 4, 1912 1,883,752 Barnes Oct. 18, 1932 1,927,572Novack Sept. 19, 1933- 2,423,481 Campos July 8, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber 7 Country Date 291,695 Great Britain June 7, 1928 508,748 GreatBritain July 5, 1939 792,270 France Oct. 14, 1935

